Boy, that post sure could've used some headings or something to liven up what is otherwise a monotonous, self-indulgent rant.
One thing one has to remember with grammar is that people can't even agree on whether it's prescriptive or descriptive.
It still bugs the hell out of me when (North) Americans say "Will you write me?" WRONG WRONG WRONG, at least in a prescriptive sense. In actual English it is "Will you write TO me?". Note the difference:
- Will you write me a letter? (indirect then direct object)
- Will you write a letter to me (direct then indirect; uses the preposition "to");
- Will you write a letter to me? (indirect object only)
Only Americans (and possibly Canadians) do it.
The point is than in a purely prescriptive sense, that's wrong and most people tend to argue that what they use is correct. Language and grammar evolves giving far more credence to the descriptive view.
One thing one has to remember with grammar is that people can't even agree on whether it's prescriptive or descriptive.
It still bugs the hell out of me when (North) Americans say "Will you write me?" WRONG WRONG WRONG, at least in a prescriptive sense. In actual English it is "Will you write TO me?". Note the difference:
- Will you write me a letter? (indirect then direct object) - Will you write a letter to me (direct then indirect; uses the preposition "to"); - Will you write a letter to me? (indirect object only)
Only Americans (and possibly Canadians) do it.
The point is than in a purely prescriptive sense, that's wrong and most people tend to argue that what they use is correct. Language and grammar evolves giving far more credence to the descriptive view.
But I digress...